Standardized operational connections, such as those mentioned above, are frequently manufactured separately from the electronic devices of which they will ultimately form a part. For example, SATA, PCI, and PCIe connectors, including the electrically conductive contacts and the geometrical interface thereof, are typically provided as a separate component to be soldered or otherwise electrically and mechanically connected to an electronic device.
Some have attempted to provide alternatives to dedicated connector components. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,951,070, issued Feb. 15, 2015, to Goodwin, discloses a connector scheme wherein the electrical contacts of the connector are integrated into a PCB and the geometrical interface of the connector is provided as a separate component that may be slid over the electrical contacts to form the connector. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,301,415, issued Mar. 29, 2016, to Goodwin et al., discloses another scheme wherein the electrical contacts of the connector are integrated into the PCB, the geometrical interface of the connector is integrated into an underlying tray of the device enclosure, and an overlying portion of the device enclosure is secured over the tray to complete the device.